SlCP 

Diaz 

The  Apostle 
of  Cuba 


AMERICAN 

BAPTIST  PUBLICATION 
SOCIETY 


h ■ /o 


PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


Presented  by(DY'»^'<^  VAI  TWcTtrs  V; 


r>  . 


Division 


Section 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/diazapostleofcub00tupp_0 


Frontisi)ii>co. 


Ai.hkhto  Josf:  Diaz. 


DIAZ 


THli  APOSTLl:  01'  CUllA 


KERR  BOYCE  TUPFER,  D.  D. 


PHILADELPHIA 

AMERICAN  BAPTIST  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY 
1420  Chestnut  Street 

1896 


Copyright  1896  by  the 

American  Bartist  Publication  Society 


DIAZ— THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


HE  suggestive  remark  it  is  of  Pascal  that  the  nota- 


ble men  of  tlie  world’s  life  move  and  shine  in 
three  distinct  and  glorious  orbits — the  orbit  of  heroism, 
the  orbit  of  intellectuality,  and  the  orbit  ot  personal 
moral  worth.  As  intelligent  students  of  history  we 
must  be  impressed  with  the  many  illustrations  of  this 
truth.  In  the  first  orbit  we  note  the  (,’?esars,  the 
Charlemagnes,  and  the  Napoleons  of  history — men  of 
mighty  military  ]>rowess  and  sjjlendid  martial  achieve- 
ments. In  the  second,  we  mark  the  Platos  and  the 
Homers,  the  Senecas  and  the  Bacons  of  the  different 
ages — men  of  genuine  mental  worth  and  vast  range  of 
intellectual  power.  In  the  third  sphere,  standing  out 
in  consummate  glory,  arc  the  Martyns,  the  Wilber- 
forces,  the  Judsons,  and  the  Careys  of  history — men 
whose  chief  excellency  consists,  not  in  heroism  as  the 
world  counts  the  hero,  nor  in  mere  intellectuality,  but 
rather  in  a sublime  renunciation  of  self,  a passionate 
love  of  God,  and  a Christlike  devotion  to  the  highest 
interests  of  their  fellows — men  who,  now  as  mission- 
aries, now  as  martyrs,  now  as  philanthropists,  now  as 
teachers,  go  up  and  down  our  earth  illustrating  what 
the  poet  sings ; 


3 


4 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


To  honor  God,  to  benefit  mankind, 

To  serve  with  lowly  gifts  the  little  needs 
Of  the  poor  race  for  which  the  God-man  died, 

And  do  it  all  for  love — ah  ! this  is  great. 

And  he  who  does  this  will  achieve  a name 
Not  only  great,  but  good. 

It  is  in  this  last  and  noblest  orbit,  to  use  the  figure 
of  our  Christian  philosopher,  that  the  subject  of  our 
brief  sketch,  Alberto  Jose  Diaz,  the  consecrated  Cuban 
missionary,  has  moved  with  such  conspicuous  eminence 
during  the  past  ten  years.  The  life  of  so  heroic  a 
spirit  as  his  cannot  fail  both  to  interest  and  to  instruct. 

I'he  chief  purpose  of  this  monograph,  however, 
being  to  present  Diaz  in  connection  with  his  Christian 
work  as  a Baptist  missionary  in  Havana,  as  the  devoted 
apostle  to  Cuba,  we  must  content  ourselves  with  a mere 
outline  of  his  history  preceding  and  leading  up  to  the 
great  mission  of  his  life,  d o many  the  history  of  this 
wonderful  man  is  as  fascinating  as  it  is  instructive.  He 
was  the  eldest  son  of  a devoted  mother,  who  surely 
was  as  a fruitful  vine,  since  he  had  no  fewer  than  twenty- 
four  brothers  and  sisters.  He  received  his  early  edu- 
cation at  home  and  in  fitting  schools  and,  at  great  ex- 
pense on  his  father’s  part,  a liberal  training  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Havana  both  as  an  academic  and  medical 
student.  Up  to  this  time  he  had  never  seen  a Bible, 
notwithstanding  his  access  to  the  best  public  and  private 
libraries  of  the  island.  He  was  successful  in  his  prac- 
tice as  a physician  in  his  native  country.  His  heroism 
and  courage  as  captain  among  the  insurgents  are  still 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


5 


remembered.  Narrowly  escaping  from  drowning  when 
floating  on  a plank  in  the  sea  to  get  away  from  pursuing 
foes,  who  had  slain  all  but  three  of  his  companions,  he 
was  rescued,  after  twenty-si.x  hours’  drifting,  by  a fishing 
vessel,  and  safely  borne  to  New  York  City.  'I’hrough 
exposure,  pneumonia  came  upon  him  in  Brooklyn  and 
an  almost  fatal  illness  followed.  Prayers  for  and  with 
him  were  offered  by  a devout  Christian  woman,  who 
took  a deep  interest  in  his  temporal  and  spiritual  welfare, 
and  recovery  came.  With  it  there  came  the  possession 
of  new  gospel  light,  which  his  soul  had  gotten  from 
talking  witli  the  nolile  woman,  who  had  read  tlie  Scrip- 
tures to  him  and  agonized  with  God  for  his  recovery, 
both  of  body  and  spirit.  In  total,  affectionate  self- 
surrender, he  gave  himself  to  Jesus  Christ  as  personal 
Master  and  Redeemer,  and  returned  to  Cuba — the  re- 
bellion being  over  and  amnesty  proclaimed.  His  whole 
soul  was  aflame  with  enthusiasm  to  declare  the  good  tid- 
ings of  great  joy  to  all  the  people  in  that  blighted,  priest- 
ridden  land,  although  his  reward  in  part  was  persistent 
and  cruel  persecution  by  priests  and  other  enemies  of 
the  true  faith.  Even  his  own  mother  rejected  him, 
although  afterward  she  became,  and  is  to-day,  a devoted 
co-laborer  with  her  son  in  the  gospel.  He  soon  re- 
turned to  Brooklyn,  which  was  still  fragrant  with  the 
memories  of  a godly  woman  and  the  presence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  At  the  Calvary  Baptist  Church,  New  York 
City,  he  witnessed  with  his  sister  the  first  apostolic  bap- 
tism his  eyes  had  ever  beheld,  and  deep  conviction  of 
its  biblical  truth  fastened  itself  upon  him.  His  own 


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DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


baptism  followed  soon  afterward,  about  thirteen  years 
ago,  in  tiethsemane  Baptist  Church,  Brooklyn,  upon 
glad  confession  of  personal  trust  in  our  once  buried  and 
now  risen  and  exalted  Christ,  his  sister  Minnie  having 
preceded  him  in  this  duty.  His  appeal  to  our  Ameri- 
can Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  to  send  him  as  mis- 
sionary to  Cuba  was  declined  because  of  lack  of  funds, 
and  he  was  accepted  by  the  Women’s  Bible  Society  in 
Philadelphia  as  missionary  to  Cuba,  and  departed  in 
1883  for  that  land,  for  whose  redemption  he  constantly 
and  earnestly  prayed  and  pined.  His  spiritual  solitude 
there  among  the  ignorant,  idolatrous  adherents  of 
Rome  ; his  earnest  endeavors  to  disseminate  the  Scrip- 
tures, both  as  oracle  of  faith  and  manual  of  devotion  ; 
his  arrest  and  imprisonment  by  the  police  as  a possible 
conspirator ; his  songs  and  prayers,  like  those  of  Paul 
and  Silas,  in  prison,  and  their  holy  influence  upon  his 
fellow-prisoners ; his  appeal  as  an  American  citizen  for 
release,  and  its  speedy  attainment ; the  organization  by 
him  and  his  friends  of  the  ‘‘Society  for  Religious  Wor- 
ship,” which,  however,  for  safety  against  native  in- 
fluence, was  changed  to  ‘‘  Reformed  Church  of  Cuba”  ; 
the  futile  demand  by  the  priest^  and  bishops  of  the 
Episcopal  Church  to  draw  this  new  organization  into 
their  fraternity;  the  firm,  intelligent  determination  of 
Diaz  and  his  co-laborers  to  organize  themselves  into  a 
regular  apostolic  Baptist  church,  based  upon  the  New 
Testament,  and  the  New  Testament  alone,  as  they  un- 
derstood it ; his  separation  from  the  Philadelphia  Bible 
Society  and  his  connection  with  the  Home  Mission 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


7 


Board  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  ; his  ordina- 
tion as  a Baptist  minister  in  Florida  ; the  conversion 
and  baptism  of  his  fatlier  and  mother  as  happy  believers 
in  their  Lord; — all  this  forms  a fascinating  part  of  the 
story  of  what  has  been  now  for  years  his  glad  and  glo- 
rious, his  persuasive  and  permanent,  his  tiod-glorifying 
and  man-saving,  work  in  his  much-loved  native  land. 

A most  attractive  spot,  in  some  respects,  is  this  arena 
of  Diaz’  labors,  it  being  the  largest  and  most  fertile 
of  the  West  India  Islands,  known  first  as  Juana,  then 
as  Fernand ine,  now  as  Cuba.  'I'he  people  are  naturally 
docile,  generous,  polite,  far  in  character  above  the 
haughty,  cruel,  unreliable  Spaniard.  Romanism,  how- 
ever, has  for  centuries,  and  in  every  direction,  cast  its 
blighting,  withering,  and  awful  inlluence  over  this 
beautiful  garden  spot.  As  a result,  the  people  as  a 
class  have  but  little  knowledge  of  the  Bible  and  less 
reverence  for  the  Lord’s  Day.  They  are  ignorant  of 
civil  liberty  and  religious  liberty.  For  wherever  the 
Spanish  law  has  gone,  as  another  has  well  said,  the  hand 
of  the  Inquisition  has  stifled  liberty  and  conscience, 
and  wherever  Romanism  has  undisputed  sway,  man- 
hood and  womanhood  have  been  degraded.  Strangers 
also  these  Cubans  are  to  the  Christianity  uncovered  by 
human  ritual,  untainted  by  human  tradition.  Above 
all  things,  these  Cubans  need  a pure,  unemasculated 
evangel,  which  can  relieve  their  consciences,  illumine 
their  intellects,  redeem  their  spirits,  transform  their 
lives,  and  make  them,  in  deed  and  in  truth,  new  crea- 
tions in  Christ  Jesus.  Such  an  evangel  Alberto  Diaz 


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DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


has  sought  now  for  a decade  to  give  them  in  tears  and 
prayers,  in  suffering  and  sacrifice. 

And  what  does  this  decade  of  toil  and  hardship,  of 
consecrated  energy  and  devoted  self-denial  by  this  man 
of  God,  reveal  in  the  way  of  solid,  substantial  work  for 
the  Master  and  his  kingdom  in  Cuba? 

It  is  hardly  too  much  to  say  that  few  missions  have 
been  so  successful  as  that  of  Alberto  Diaz.  In  his  fas- 
cinating “ Story  of  Diaz,”  Dr.  G.  W.  Lasher  gives  the 
following  facts  : ‘‘During  the  first  fifteen  months  after 
the  organization  of  his  church,  Diaz  baptized  three 
hundred  converts,  all  intelligently  leaving  the  church  of 
Rome  and  covenanting  with  each  other  to  live  and 
labor  for  the  redemption  of  Cuba  from  the  thraldom  of 
Romanism.  They  know  what  they  believe,  and,  above 
all,  they  know  why  they  no  longer  sympathize  with  the 
church  of  Rome,  ruled  over  by  priests  and  bishops. 
Among  the  baptized  was  every  member  of  1 )iaz’  own 
family  and  his  wife’s  fomily — seventeen  in  all.  During 
these  fifteen  months  these  people  had  given  one  thou- 
sand and  seventy-eight  dollars  and  fifty  cents  for  the 
support  of  their  own  church,  eighty  dollars  for  missions 
in  Florida,  and  two  dollars  to  each  of  the  Southern 
Boards.  They  called  their  organization  the  ‘Geth- 
semane  Baptist  Church,’  for  the  church  in  Brooklyn, 
New  York,  where  Alberto  and  Minnie  Diaz  had  been 
baptized.”  In  1889  the  Jane  Theatre  was  pur- 
chased for  Diaz’  work  at  a cost  of  sixty-five  thou- 
sand dollars,  the  original  cost  of  the  building  being 
one  hundred  and  forty  thousand  dollars.  'I'his  is  a 


The  Gethsf.mane  Baptist  Church,  Havana.  Page 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUHA 


9 


handsome,  attractive  structure,  built  of  white  stone, 
the  inside  finished  with  white  marble,  the  balcony  of 
iron  enameled  with  white.  It  is  lighted  throughout 
with  electricity  and  gas,  which  gives  a very  pleasing 
effect  to  the  auditorium.  In  one  part  of  the  house  we 
read  on  the  walls  Dios  es  Amor;  on  another,  Cuba 
para  Christos.  At  the  back  of  the  platform,  a bap- 
tistery has  been  arranged  with  running  water,  while  in 
front,  where  once  were  footlights,  is  the  preacher’s 
stand.  The  theatre  is  capable  of  seating  about  three 
thousand,  and  is  situated  in  the  busy  part  of  the  city, 
accessible  to  the  residents  of  Havana  and  near  the  chief 
hotels,  thus  making  attendance  upon  these  services  con- 
venient to  those  who  visit  the  city,  among  whom  in 
winter  are  many  Americans. 

The  Gethsemane  Church  and  its  branches  in  Havana, 
to  which  Dr.  Diaz  has  given  himself  so  nobly,  numbers 
at  present  about  two  thousand  six  hundred  and  seven- 
teen members,  while  fully  three  thousand  rejoicing  con- 
verts to  a pure  Christianity  have  been  baptized  by  him 
and  his  helpers.  It  is  estimated  that  no  fewer  than 
ten  thousand  persons  have  applied  for  baptism  at  the 
hands  of  our  missionary  there,  but  he  rejects  many 
because  without  evidence  of  a regenerating  and  saving 
faith  in  the  Son  of  God.  Hear  his  own  words  on  this 
matter:  “We  have  no  difficulty  in  getting  the  peojde 
to  l)e  baptized,  for  as  soon  as  they  become  members 
the  first  thing  they  ask  is  to  be  baptized.  We,  of 
course,  are  obliged  to  use  discretion  as  to  whom  we 
accept  as  members,  for  there  are  many  people  there 


lO 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


who  sympathize  with  us,  known  as  the  anti-Catholics. 
They  have  left  the  Catholic  Church,  but  still  have  not 
received  Christ,  and  are  not  regenerated.  These  are 
not  the  people  we  want ; we  want  all  our  members  to 
be  hard  and  earnest  workers  for  Christ.  We  keep  a 
book  in  our  church,  and  at  the  end  of  every  service  we 
ask  all  present  who  are  not  members  of  the  congrega- 
tion, but  sympathize  with  us,  to  come  forward  and  sign 
the  book.  There  are  about  eight  thousand  names  on 
it  now.” 

And  the  most  potential  factor,  humanly  speaking, 
in  this  vast  and  varied  Christian  work  is  the  enthusias- 
tic, devoted  personality  of  Dr.  Diaz  himself.  One  who 
knows  him  well  has  put  it  well  when  he  says:  “On 
that  morning  when  Diaz  landed  in  Havana,  without 
money,  without  friends,  without  support,  with  nothing 
but  his  Bible,  determined,  God  helping  him,  to  win 
Cuba  for  Christ,  it  was  a picture  of  moral  heroism 
never  surpassed  in  the  history  of  Christian  devotion. 
He  might  have  uttered  there  and  then  the  words  of  the 
apostle  to  the  Gentiles  : ‘ I could  wish  myself  accursed 
from  Christ  for  my  brethren,  my  kindred  according  to 
the  flesh.’  Through  all  the  years  of  his  ministry  his 
spirit  has  known  no  abatement.  With  a zeal  deterred 
by  no  dangers,  faltering  at  no  obstacles,  and  with  a 
faith  in  God  which  surmounted  every  trial,  he  has  pre- 
sented himself  a living  sacrifice  to  the  work  he  has  un- 
dertaken ; exemplifying  every  Christian  virtue  in  his 
consecrated  life,  he  has  infused  the  same  spirit  into 
his  converts.  Such  an  example  could  not  fail  to  exert 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA  II 

a controlling  power  over  the  lives  of  those  who  accept 
his  doctrines.  When  they  read  in  their  Bibles  of  faith, 
courage,  patience,  love,  devotion  to  duty,  self-denial, 
whole-hearted  service  for  Christ,  they  see  in  their  great 
leader’s  life  the  meaning  of  these  teachings,  and  they 
follow  him  as  he  follows  Christ.” 

The  beneficent  influence  of  this  Gethsemane  Church 
is  incalculable,  felt  as  it  is  widely  and  deeply  over  the 
entire  island.  One  colporter  recently  gave  testimony 
that  since  this  Baptist  work  began,  he  has  sold  more 
than  thirty  thousand  Testaments  and  Bibles  outside 
of  Havana,  as  he  made  visits  from  door  to  door  in 
the  principal  cities  and  towns  of  Cuba,  the  people 
speaking  of  the  word  of  God  as  ‘‘the  living  light 
from  heaven.”  Another  Bible  distributer  relates  that 
when  lately  on  a train,  coming  from  Havana  to  Matan- 
zas,  he  was  offering  his  Bibles  for  sale,  a priest  asking 
of  him  what  book  he  was  selling,  being  informed  that 
it  w'as  the  Scriptures,  bought  a copy  and  began  to  ex- 
amine it.  In  a few  moments  this  priest  was  noticed 
tearing  the  book  in  a hundred  pieces  and  throwing  the 
leaves  out  of  the  window.  Some  one  sitting  near  him 
asked  why  he  so  treated  it,  and  the  priest  replied  : ‘‘It 
is  a bad  book,  used  only  by  heretics.”  The  curiosity 
of  the  travelers  was  so  aroused  by  the  priest’s  action 
that  the  colporter  immediately  sold  the  remaining  seven, 
God  thus  using  the  wrath  of  man  to  praise  him.  These 
are  two  instances  only  of  how  the  word  is  having  free 
course  and  being  glorified  in  connection  with  Diaz’ 
work  in  that  land  of  superstition  and  spiritual  dark- 


12 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OE  CUBA 


ness.  Nor  are  these  cases  exceptional.  The  Secretary 
of  the  Home  Mission  Board  of  the  Southern  Baptist 
Convention,  under  which  Dr.  Diaz  prosecutes  his  im- 
portant work,  writes:  “The  determined  efforts  of  the 
bishop  of  Havana  to  destroy  it  have  resulted  in  its  in- 
creased popularity  and  influence.  Failing  in  his  well- 
j)lanned  schemes  to  overthrow  it,  he  has  publicly  de- 
clared that  Alberto  J.  Diaz,  the  superintendent  of  the 
Baptist  missions,  is  such  a favorite  with  the  Cuban  offi- 
cials, that  they  are  unwilling  to  do  justice  to  the  Catholic 
Church.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  one-half  the 
population  sympathize  with  Brother  Diaz  in  his  contest 
with  the  bishop.’’ 

In  the  cemetery  which  Diaz  years  ago  secured  for 
his  Havana  church,  and  to  which  the  natives  have  given 
the  attractive  name  of  “Flower  Garden,’’  there  have 
been  sold  up  to  the  present  time  seventeen  thousand 
graves,  the  larger  part  of  them  being  purchased  by 
Catholics,  who  can  buy  here  a grave  at  a much  less 
cost  than  in  the  Catholic  cemetery,  where,  besides 
being  high  in  price,  the  burial  place  belongs  to  the 
purchaser  for  five  years  only,  at  the  expiration  of 
which  time,  unless  more  money  is  paid,  the  body 
buried  is  removed  to  a common  receptacle  and  the 
vacant  grave  used  for  another  burial.  The  sale  of 
cemetery  lots  was  a source  of  great  revenue  to  our 
church  in  Havana  until  the  Catholics,  in  self-defense, 
were  obliged  to  give  free  burial  to  those  of  their  num- 
ber who  needed  it. 

Dr.  Diaz  has  no  truer  nor  more  liberal  friend  and 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


13 


supporter  than  J.  S.  Paine,  of  Cambridge,  who  gave  to 
this  missionary  his  first  two  hundred  dollars  with  which 
to  buy  a burial  place  for  his  people.  Under  the  date  of 
April  27,  he  writes:  “I  have  been  interested  in  the 
Havana  church  from  its  beginning,  which  w'as  about 
twelve  years  ago  last  June.  My  wife  and  1 arrived  in 
Havana  in  February  of  the  same  year.  M'e  have  spent 
many  winters  in  Cuba,  and  know  of  Dr.  Diaz’  work. 
AVe  partook  of  the  first  communion  service  conducted 
by  him.  Most  solemn  and  impressive  it  was,  with 
doors  and  windows  closed  and  the  room  dimly  lighted 
for  fear  of  trouble  from  those  outside.  Dr.  Diaz  is  not 
only  a preacher  of  the  gospel,  but  a physician  and  sur- 
geon of  ability,  having  graduated  from  the  medical 
school  in  Havana.  Besides  preaching  the  gospel  he 
maintains  a hospital  for  women  and  children,  which  has 
done  a vast  amount  of  good  and  been  the  means  of 
many  helpful  additions  to  the  church.  The  church  in 
Havana  has  gone  gloriously  onward  ever  since  its  organ- 
ization. ’ ’ 

This  testimony  of  Mr.  Paine  is  corroborated  by  the 
author  of  the  “Story  of  Diaz,’’  when  he  says:  “From 
the  time  of  entering  the  new  house,  the  course  of  the 
church  and  pastor  and  his  fellow-helpers  has  been  con- 
stantly onward.  The  new  believers  are  taught  that 
works  must  result  from  their  faith  ; that  they  are  to 
make  sacrifices  for  Christ,  and  are  to  contribute  accord- 
ing to  their  ability  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  The 
treasurer  of  the  church  meets  the  candidate  for  baptism 
between  the  dressing  room  and  the  baptistery,  and  asks 


14  DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 

him  how  much  he  proposed  to  give  for  the  support  ol 
the  gospel.  No  member  is  retained  who  does  not  do 
something.  Consequently  there  is  constant  progress. 
One  mission  station  after  another  has  been  established, 
and  as  a need  of  preachers  and  pastors  has  arisen,  the 
Lord  of  the  harvest  has  provided  the  men  for  the  re- 
spective fields.  ’ ’ Even  so  far  back  as  eight  years  ago 
the  work  of  Gethsemane  Church  was  reported  as  fol- 
lows : Missionaries,  twenty ; churches  and  stations, 

twenty-seven  ; baptisms,  three  hundred  ; Sunday- 
schools,  twenty-si.\  ; teachers  and  pupils,  two  thousand 
two  hundred  and  twenty-eight ; total  membership  of 
the  seven  churches,  one  thousand  four  hundred  and 
ninety-three  ; money  collected  by  these  churches,  two 
thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty-five  dollars  and  seventy 
cents. 

One  is  amused  as  well  as  touched  to  learn  the  method 
of  Dr.  Diaz,  on  a certain  occasion,  in  the  selection  of 
deacons  for  his  church.  The  account  he  gives  speaks 
volumes  for  the  consecration  of  this  simple-hearted, 
Christ-believing,  God-glorifying  folk.  In  his  own  naive 
way  he  reports  it  to  us.  “ My  people,”  says  he,  ‘‘are  of 
a peculiarly  jealous  nature.  If  one  of  them  is  selected 
to  perform  a duty,  they  think  that  he  is  in  better  favor 
than  the  rest  and  are  accordingly  much  hurt.  This  was 
the  difficulty  which  confronted  me  when  I found  it  nec- 
essary for  me  to  select  the  seven  deacons  to  aid  in  car- 
rying on  the  church  work.  I studied  the  problem  over 
for  some  time,  and  at  last  hit  upon  a plan  which  I 
thought  would  work  satisfactorily.  One  Thursday  even- 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


15 


ing,  at  the  close  of  the  services,  I announced  that  the 
next  Sunday  we  would  select  the  deacons,  and  that  the 
sermon  would  be  on  the  duties  of  the  deacons.  That 
Sunday  every  member  was  present,  and  the  church  was 
crowded.  I told  them  that  it  was  the  duty  of  the  dea- 
cons when  they  were  notified  of  a case  of  smallpox  to 
go  immediately  and  attend  to  it ; the  same  if  it  were  a 
case  of  cholera,  or  in  any  epidemic,  they  must  be  the 
first  to  be  present  and  offer  aid,  and  the  last  to  come 
away  ; that  they  were  to  have  their  Testaments  with 
them  always,  and  were  to  make  a conversion  whenever 
the  opportunity  presented  itself.  After  presenting  the 
case  in  as  serious  a light  as  possible,  I recpiested  those 
who  felt  courageous  enough  to  assume  the  responsibili- 
ties of  the  position  to  stand  up.  The  whole  congrega- 
tion stood  up.  I knew  it  would  be  useless  to  attempt 
to  make  any  selections,  so  I said  to  them,  ‘ Go  ahead, 
you  are  all  deacons.’  Now  they  all  carry  their  New 
Testaments  around  with  them,  and  telling,  whenever 
they  have  a chance,  of  the  religion  of  Christ.  Thus, 
you  see,  we  have  a whole  congregation  of  workers.” 
And  the  missionary’s  testimony  is  borne  out  by  Dr. 
Burrows,  Secretary  of  our  Southern  Baptist  Convention, 
who  writes  in  a sprightly  tract : “Grouped  around  Diaz 
are  those  who  have  caught  the  inspiration  of  his  high 
purpose,  and  whom  he  successfully  leads  in  the  ever- 
increasing  and  multiform  demands  of  the  work.  Under 
this  leadership  the  types  of  Christian  activity  are  far 
beyond  the  standard  at  which  American  churches  are 
content  to  rest.  There  are  no  drones.  The  week  ser- 


i6 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


vice  and  the  Sabbath  service  alike  attract  the  whole 
body  of  disciples  to  the  place  of  prayer.  'I'he  singing 
is  common  to  all.  Even  children  respond  when  called 
upon  with  cheerful  alacrity  to  lead  the  devotions  of  the 
congregation.  No  prolonged  service  wearies  them  or 
produces  signs  of  discontent.  The  opportunity  given 
at  every  gathering  to  contribute  of  means  is  accepted 
with  cheerfulness.  I'he  eagerness  and  zeal  of  a Cuban 
Baptist  congregation  is  contagious.  ’ ’ 

And  to  develop  this  work,  what  persecutions  this  man 
of  God,  this  apostle  of  Christ,  has  had  to  endure  ! Take 
this  one  case  as  he  himself  tells  of  it  in  1890  : 

“ Last  year,  as  I was  about  to  start  for  the  United 
States  to  come  to  the  meeting  at  Northfield,  I received 
an  invitation  to  visit  a town  a little  way  from  Havana  to 
preach  ; everything  was  in  readiness.  This  opportunity 
of  holding  a meeting  in  that  town  was  not  to  be  lost. 
They  had  secured  the  theatre  for  the  occasion,  and  we 
expected  to  have  a large  number  of  people  present.  I 
decided  to  go.  When  I arrived  in  the  town  I found 
the  theatre  all  lighted  and  nearly  full  of  people,  await- 
ing me  before  commencing  the  services.  A\'e  opened 
the  meeting  by  singing  a hymn,  and  as  I arose  to 
preach,  a policeman  came  into  the  room,  and  said  : 

“ ‘You  cannot  have  your  meeting  here.’ 

“‘Why,’  said  I,  ‘we  are  inside  of  a building,  and 
are  not  breaking  any  law.  ’ 

“ ‘This  is  a public  building,’  he  replied,  ‘and  I have 
orders  not  to  allow  you  to  hold  your  meeting  here.  ’ 
“We  consulted  among  ourselves,  and  decided  to 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


17 


hold  our  meeting  in  the  Baptist  church.  The  church 
was  a small  affair,  and  would  not  hold  more  than  fifty. 
On  arriving  tliere  we  found  that  nearly  all  the  people 
had  accompanied  us,  and  that  the  edifice  could  not  ac- 
commodate them  all.  'I'he  pastor  of  the  church,  how- 
ever, had  a large  yard  or  court  behind  his  house  which 
was  enclosed  with  high  walls,  and  he  gave  us  permission 
to  have  our  meeting  there.  We  accepted  his  hospital- 
ity, and  putting  up  some  candles  in  various  parts  of  the 
court,  opened  the  meeting.  We  sang  hymns  and 
preached,  and  were  very  happy  that  the  Lord  had  at 
last  enabled  us  to  hold  a meeting  in  that  town.  At  the 
close  of  the  meeting  we  sang  the  hymn,  ‘We  will  soon 
be  at  home  over  there,’  and  just  as  I was  singing  this 
line,  a soldier,  who  had  come  into  the  yard  unobserved, 
stepped  up  to  me,  and  said  : 

“ ‘Yes,  you  will  soon  be  at  home  over  there  ’ (point- 
ing to  the  jail). 

“The  whole  congregation  protested  when  they  saw 
the  soldiers  preparing  to  arrest  us  and  take  us  away, 
saying  : 

“‘If  you  take  these  men  to  jail,  you  must  take  us 
too.’ 

“We  calmed  the  people,  and  told  them  it  was  best 
to  go  quietly,  and  all  would  be  well.  The  soldiers 
conducted  us  to  the  house  of  the  mayor,  and  showed 
us  into  his  presence. 

“ After  he  had  taken  our  names  and  asked  the  cus- 
tomary questions,  he  began  to  interrogate  us  in  this 
way  : 

B 


i8 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


“‘Well,  mister,’  said  he,  turning  to  one  of  my 
companions,  ‘ what  have  you  been  doing  up  there  ? ’ 

“‘I  have  been  reading  the  Bible,’  was  the  answer 
given. 

“ ‘Put  him  in  jail  for  reading  the  Bible,’  said  the 
mayor. 

“ ‘Now,  sir,  what  have  you  been  doing  up  there?’ 
said  he  to  the  other. 

“ ‘I  have  been  praying  and  singing.’ 

“‘Put  him  in  jail  for  praying  and  singing,’  com- 
manded the  mayor. 

“‘Well,’  said  he,  turning  to  me,  ‘what  have  you 
been  doing  ? ’ 

“ ‘I  have  been  reading  the  Bible  and  preaching  the 
gospel,’  I answered. 

“ ‘Put  him  in  jail  for  reading  the  Bible  and  preach- 
ing the  gospel,’  he  ordered. 

“ And  thus  our  three  cases  were  disposed  of,  and  we 
were  taken  to  the  jail  at  two  o’clock  in  the  morning,  to 
be  incarcerated  among  criminals  and  desperadoes  of  the 
worst  description,  for  the  crime  of  having  a meeting  to 
glorify  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  We  said  to 
ourselves  after  they  had  put  us  in  our  cell  and  left  us  : 

“ ‘Well,  we  are  here,  let  us  hold  another  service  and 
see  if  they  will  put  us  out  for  the  same  reason  that 
they  have  put  us  in.’  We  began  to  sing  and  pray,  and 
kept  it  up  until  five  o’clock  in  the  morning. 

“Our  friends  in  Havana,  learning  that  we  were  im- 
prisoned, notified  the  consul-general,  requesting  that 
he  have  us  released,  as  we  were  American  citizens  and 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


19 


doing  nothing  wrong.  The  consul,  however,  was  afraid 
of  the  power  of  the  priests,  and  would  not  take  any 
action,  fearing  that  he  might  offend  them.  Finding 
that  we  need  not  expect  any  assistance  from  him,  we 
notified  our  friends  in  New  York,  and  Mr.  J.  S.  Paine, 
of  your  city,  asking  them  to  render  us  as  much  aid  as 
possible.  We  also  telegraphed  to  the  Secretary  of 
State,  Mr.  James  G.  Blaine,  telling  him  of  the  circum- 
stances regarding  our  arrest  and  imprisonment  and 
asked  that  he  send  orders  for  our  release.  Now,  Mr. 
Blaine  was  not  afraid  of  the  priests,  and  sent  a cable- 
gram right  back  to  the  consul  with  instructions  that  he 
take  us  from  the  prison  immediately.  The  consul  came 
himself  and  had  us  released.  The  Cuban  officials  in- 
vestigated our  case,  and  at  the  end  of  nine  months 
concluded  that  we  had  broken  no  law,  and  were  inno- 
cent of  any  crime.  They  now  gave  us  license  to  hold 
our  meetings  in  any  part  of  the  country.  Thus  you 
may  see  how  in  these  two  cases  the  persecution  worked 
directly  for  our  benefit.” 

Among  the  most  interesting  incidents  of  Diaz  are 
those  connected  with  the  conversion  and  baptism  of 
his  own  parents.  How  simple  it  is,  as  told  by  himself 
five  years  ago  in  Boston.  Said  he,  on  that  occasion  in 
an  address  in  the  Clarendon  Street  Baptist  Church  : 

” I immediately  commenced  my  labors  in  my  own  fam- 
ily. They  were  astonished  and  troubled  to  hear  me 
talking  of  Christ,  the  Bible,  and  salvation,  and  were 
greatly  opposed  to  it,  my  mother  refusing  to  listen  to 
me.  Every  member  of  the  family  was  against  me,  with 


20 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


the  exception  of  a little  four-year-old  sister,  who,  after 
hearing  of  Christ,  said,  ‘ 1 like  that  Man  and  will  love 
him.’  My  mother  was  a Catholic,  and  very  bitter 
against  what  I said.  She  called  me  a Protestant,  a 
heretic,  and  a Jew.  She  said,  ‘ I will  not  speak  to  you 
if  you  do  not  come  back  to  the  church  and  the  religion  1 
taught  you.’  I tried  to  tell  her  about  Christ  and  his 
word,  but  she  would  not  listen  to  me;  all  she  would 
say  was,  ‘ If  you  are  my  son  and  love  me,  you  will 
leave  that  religion  and  come  back  to  the  Catholic 
Church.  ’ She  knew  very  well  that  I loved  her,  and 
what  she  said  troubled  me  very  much;  we  lived  in  the 
same  house  for  months  without  her  speaking  to  me.  I 
trusted  in  the  Lord,  however,  and  prayed  every  night 
and  morning  for  her  conversion.  Within  six  months 
she  came  into  our  congregation  and  became  a member. 
Let  me  tell  you  of  the  way  in  which  it  came  about. 
M e were  holding  one  of  our  evening  meetings  with 
quite  a large  number  of  people  present.  I was  very 
much  surprised  to  see  my  mother  come  in  and  take  a 
seat;  she  never  attended  any  of  our  meetings.  Her 
presence  disturbed  me,  as  I thought  she  had  come  to 
reprove  me  before  the  people,  but,  mastering  my  feel- 
ings, I i^reached  my  usual  sermon  and  then  gave  the  in- 
vitation for  those  who  wished  to  become  members  to 
stand  up.  Four  people  arose;  my  mother  was  one  of 
them.  Now  I thought  sure  she  was  going  to  speak 
to  me.  Three  of  the  people  stood  on  my  right  side, 
and  my  mother  was  on  the  left  side.  Not  know- 
ing what  she  was  going  to  do,  I turned  my  back  to  her 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


21 


and  began  to  examine  the  other  three,  thinking  she 
would  think  better  of  what  she  was  about  to  do  and  go 
away.  I was  intently  engaged  with  the  three  persons 
whom  I was  examining,  when  one  of  the  brothers  said: 

“ ‘ Mr.  Diaz,  there  is  your  mother  standing  over 
there;  why  don’t  you  speak  to  her?  ’ Turning  to  her, 
I said: 

“ ‘ Well,  mother,  what  are  you  doing  here?  ’ 

“‘Alberto,’  said  she,  ‘don’t  you  want  me  in  your 
church  ? ’ 

“ ‘Yes,  mother,  we  want  you  if  you  are  ready  to  re- 
ceive the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  but  how  is  it  that  you 
have  changed  ? ’ I asked  in  some  surprise. 

“‘Through  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  whom  I have 
found  in  your  Bible,’  she  answered. 

“ Then  she  stood  up  and  told  the  people  of  the  trouble 
we  had  had,  how  she  had  not  spoken  to  me  for  so  long 
a time,  but  when  she  had  read  my  Bible  and  found  the 
way  to  salvation,  she  could  no  longer  resist  coming  and 
joining  us. 

“ I examined  her  then,  asking  all  the  questions  which 
I knew  she  had  disliked  to  be  asked.  Did  she  still  be- 
lieve in  the  pope,  the  priests,  and  confession  ? She 
said  : 

“ ‘ I believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  let  all  those 
things  pass,  I do  not  care  for  them  now.  ’ 

“ When  my  mother  was  in  my  own  hands,  and  I was 
about  to  immerse  her,  all  the  words  that  my  tongue 
would  give  utterance  to  were — • 

“ ‘Lord  Jesus,  this  is  my  mother,  have  mercy.’ 


22 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


“ Everything  was  working  nicely,  and  we  were  meeting 
success  on  every  hand.  The  only  thing  that  troubled 
me  was  that  I had  been  unable  to  convert  my  father. 
He  was  a man  of  science  who,  immersed  in  his  scien- 
tific studies,  thought,  like  many  others,  that  religion 
was  something  good  enough  for  women  and  children, 
but  nothing  for  a man  to  have  anything  to  do  with.  I 
approached  him  one  day  with  my  Bible,  and  said: 

“ ‘ Father,  don’t  you  want  to  read  this  book  ? ’ 

“ ‘ No,’  said  he,  ‘ that  book  is  too  old;  I want  some- 
thing new.’ 

“ ‘Why,  father,  you  don’t  know  anything  about  it, 
this  book  is  always  new;  in  it  you  will  find  an  answer 
for  any  question  you  may  have.  If  it  is  not  there,  it  is 
nowhere.  ’ 

“‘Well,’  he  said,  ‘I  may  read  it  sometime.  ’ And 
thus  he  put  me  off. 

“It  discouraged  me  very  much,  but  mother  and  I 
prayed  night  and  morning  for  his  conversion.  My 
little  sister  heard  us  in  our  prayer  one  morning,  as  we 
were  asking  the  Lord  to  aid  us  in  the  conversion  of  my 
father,  and  she  said: 

“ ‘Well,  what  are  you  troubled  so  much  about  father 
for  ? ’ 

“ ‘We  want  to  get  father  to  read  the  Bible  and  be 
converted,’  I answered. 

“ ‘ Do  you  think,  Alberto,  that  if  he  reads  the  Bible 
he  will  be  converted  ? ’ she  exclaimed. 

“ ‘Yes,’  I said  ; ‘if  we  can  only  get  him  to  read  the 
Bible  he  will  soon  be  converted.’ 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


23 


“ ‘Then  I will  make  him  read  the  Bible,’  she  ex- 
claimed. So  in  about  three  or  four  days,  when  Sunday 
came,  she  went  to  him,  putting  on  her  gloves  and,  mak- 
ing him  believe  she  was  in  a great  hurry,  said; 

“ ‘ Father,  won’t  you  please  read  those  three  or  four 
verses  for  me  ? I am  in  a great  hurry,  and  I want  to  know 
my  lesson  before  I go  to  Sunday-school.’  Father 
loves  her  very  much,  and  would  do  anything  for  her,  so 
he  took  her  Bible  and  read  the  verses  she  had  pointed 
out  to  him.  Fie  did  not  ‘smell  the  rat,’  and  she, 
under  various  pretences,  succeeded  in  kee{)ing  him 
reading  the  Bible  for  her.  I^arly  one  morning  I awoke 
and  saw  a light  in  my  sister’s  room,  and  being  afraid 
that  she  might  be  sick,  I went  in  to  see  what  was  the 
matter.  For  a moment  I was  so  surjtrised  at  what 
I saw  that  I could  not  speak,  d'here  sat  my  father 
reading  the  Bibleat  four  o’clock  in  the  morning.  I said 
to  him; 

“ ‘ Father,  what  have  you  been  doing  here?’ 

“ ‘ Oh,  I have  been  reading  this  book,’  he  answered; 
‘ what  time  is  it  ? ’ 

“ ‘Four  o’clock,’  I told  him. 

“ ‘Four  o’clock!  No,’  he  said;  ‘it  cannot  be  more 
than  eleven.’ 

“ But  I told  him  it  was  really  four  o’clock,  and  asked 
how  he  liked  the  book. 

“ ‘I  like  this  book,’  he  said,  ‘and  will  go  with  you 
next  Sunday.’ 

“ He  came  to  the  church  with  us  the  following  Sunday, 
and  was  baptized  and  received  into  the  congregation.” 


24 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


A noble,  philanthropic  work  Diaz  has  sought  to  do  in 
establishing  Red  Cross  stations,  or  “Blood  Hospitals,’’ 
as  they  are  called  in  Cuba,  for  the  help  of  the  wounded 
and  ill  among  the  Spanish  and  Cuban  soldiers.  These 
hospitals  are  distributed,  six  or  seven  in  number, 
throughout  the  center  of  the  island  where  the  present 
fighting  occurs,  and  where  the  Spanish  Government  has 
about  twenty  thousand  soldiers.  Each  of  these  sta- 
tions consists  of  a native  physician,  selected  from  the 
locality  where  the  station  is  situated,  two  Baptist  women 
nurses,  and  usually  about  ten  male  helpers.  Each  of 
these  stations  is  thoroughly  ecpiipped  with  medical  sup- 
plies, appliances,  and  instruments  for  surgical  use.  Each 
station  has  assigned  to  it  a definite  territory  in  which  it 
is  expected  to  operate.  The  plan  of  operation  is  to 
move  closely  after  the  columns  of  troops,  and  when  an 
engagement  takes  place  the  men  connected  with  the  hos- 
pital go  immediately  on  the  battleground  and  carry  out 
the  wounded  from  both  armies  as  rapidly  as  possible  to 
the  hospital  tent,  where  they  receive  immediate  surgical 
and  other  necessary  attention.  Since  the  organization  of 
these  stations  many  lives  have  been  saved  which  would 
otherwise  have  been  lost  but  for  prompt  attention 
rendered  to  the  wounded.  These  stations  are  entirely 
impartial  between  the  two  armies,  devoting  their  best 
skill  to  relieving  the  wounded  and  suffering  on  either 
side.  Each  of  the  contending  forces  usually  removes 
its  own  wounded  after  the  battles  are  over,  finding 
many  of  them  in  the  tender  care  of  the  nurses  at  these 
stations  and  often  discovering  that  life  had  been  saved. 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


25 


This  work  is  greatly  appreciated  by  the  soldiers  of  both 
armies,  and  has  also  received  complimentary  official  rec- 
ognition from  the  government  of  Spain. 

As  far  back  as  September  of  last  year  we  read  of  I )iaz’ 
visit  to  Sagua  and  St.  Domingo  and  other  towns,  organ- 
izing these  stations.  In  visiting  these  j)laces,  our  Chris- 
tian hero  narrowly  escaped  death  on  one  occasion 
through  a battle  between  the  Spanish  and  Insurgents, 
and  the  very  next  day  he  started  out  again,  saying : “ I 
have  made  ready  my  satchel  to  leave  Havana  for  Santa 
Clara  and  Sagua  again  Monday  morning,  and  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  I go.  He  will  take  care  of  me  and 
help  me  in  this  new  organization  of  the  work.” 

A short  time  since  not  only  the  Baptist  fraternity  but 
all  American  Christians  were  startled  to  learn  that  this 
devoted  laborer  of  God  and  of  man  had  been  arrested 
and  imprisoned  in  Havana,  the  Spanish  authorities  sus- 
pecting him  of  being  sympathetic  with  the  Insurgent 
forces  in  the  movement  for  inde])endence.  It  was  not 
the  first  time  that  this  affliction  had  come  to  him.  I.ess 
than  six  years  ago,  in  June,  1890,  he,  with  two  assist- 
ants, was  imprisoned  in  Wianno,  the  Mayor  of  the  vil- 
lage having  them  locked  up  in  the  common  jail.  We 
recall  reading  how  the  Christians  and  people  gathered 
in  front  of  the  jirison  and  threatened  to  mob  the  au- 
thorities, and  would  doubtless  have  used  violence  had 
not  Diaz  himself,  ajipearing  on  the  balcony,  besought 
them  to  be  peaceable  and  quiet.  Two  days  and  a half 
these  Christians  were  imprisoned  and  then  released. 
Hear  our  missionary’s  own  account  of  the  event  : 


26 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


“ I had  occasion  to  go  to  the  city  of  Wianno,  which  is  a 
short  distance  from  Havana,  to  distribute  some  Eibles 
which  had  been  sent  to  me  by  the  ladies  in  Philadel- 
phia, and  had  them  in  a box  in  the  freight  car.  A\  hen 
we  reached  our  destination,  I noticed  a man  come  into 
the  car  and  talked  to  the  passengers.  I paid  no  atten- 
tion to  him,  as  I thought  he  was  a baggageman.  At 
last  he  reached  the  seat  in  which  I was  sitting,  and 
asked  if  my  name  was  Diaz. 

“ ‘Yes,  that  is  my  name,’  I answered. 

“ ‘ Then  you  are  my  man,’  he  said,  putting  his  hand 
on  my  shoulder. 

“ ‘ What  do  you  mean  ? ’ I asked. 

“ ‘ 1 am  the  mayor  of  this  town,’  he  said,  ‘and  I am 
here  to  arrest  you.  ’ 

“ I at  first  thought  that  this  was  a joke,  and  thinking  to 
make  matters  smooth,  I took  him  by  the  hand,  and 
said: 

“ ‘ Why,  don’t  you  remember  me;  were  you  not  an 
old  schoolfellow  of  mine  at  the  university?  ’ 

“‘No,’  he  answered,  ‘I  am  the  magistrate  of  this 
town,  and  I am  here  to  put  you  in  jail.  You  must 
come  with  me.’ 

“ Finding  that  it  would  be  useless  to  prolong  our  talk, 
I got  up  and  left  the  car  with  him.  On  the  platform  I 
found  ten  or  twelve  soldiers  under  arms  waiting  for  me 
to  escort  me  to  jail,  and  then  I can  assure  you  I knew 
it  was  no  joke.  The  magistrate  asked  me  if  there  was 
anything  in  the  car  belonging  to  me.  I told  him  that 
there  was  a box  of  Bibles  in  the  freight  car.  He 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


27 


ordered  the  soldiers  to  bring  the  box  out  and  put  it 
on  a team.  Everything  being  ready,  they  formed  their 
lines  and  put  me  in  the  center,  and  with  the  team  with 
my  box  of  Bibles  leading  the  way,  we  started  off 
through  the  town  to  the  jail.  The  children  followed 
us  in  the  street,  and  the  men  and  women  came  to  the 
doors  and  windows  of  their  houses  to  see  us  go  by. 
They  all  wanted  to  see  the  ‘filibuster  man,’  as  I was 
called.  When  we  arrived  at  the  jail,  without  advising 
me  why  I was  to  be  held,  they  put  me  in  one  cell  and 
my  box  of  Bibles  in  another.  Sunday  came,  and  I asked 
the  jailer  for  permission  to  go  among  the  prisoners  and 
talk  to  them. 

“ ‘ No,’  he  said,  ‘the  mayor  says  you  are  a danger- 
ous fellow,  and  that  I must  not  have  anything  to  do 
with  you  or  your  book.’  ” 

But  Diaz  appealed  as  an  American  citizen  to  the 
United  States,  Consul,  who  at  once  took  the  matter  in 
hand  and  demanded  of  the  authorities  immediate  re- 
lease or  a trial  on  some  specific  charge.  'Flie  authori- 
ties being  unable  to  find  that  he  had  broken  any  laws, 
released  him  at  once. 

But  greater  excitement,  however,  prevailed  (1896) 
when  all  over  the  land  there  was  flashed  along  the  wires 
that  Diaz  was  again  a prisoner  for  conscience’  sake.  To 
him  as  an  American  citizen,  as  well  as  one  whose  citizen- 
ship is  in  heaven,  all  eyes  have  been  turned,  and  a com- 
mentary on  his  good  name  and  widespread  fame  is  the 
complimentary  manner  in  which  the  secular  press  has 
spoken  of  this  Baptist  hero. 


28 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


The  Washington  correspondent  of  the  “Philadelphia 
Press”  said: 

There  are  few  men  more  popular  among  the  Baptists  of  this 
country  than  is  Diaz.  Since  his  conversion  to  that  faith  he  has 
been  prominent  at  their  annual  conferences,  and  his  speeches  and 
discourses  have  aroused  enthusiasm.  He  has  been  to  Washing- 
ton several  times.  He  is  a little  man,  inclined  to  be  fat,  and  looks 
like  a Mexican.  His  manner  is  nervous  and  full  of  enthusiasm, 
conspicuous  for  that  chivalry  peculiar  to  a certain  class  of  the 
Latin  race.  He  is  intensely  in  earnest  at  all  times,  arousing  the 
emotions  of  those  brought  under  his  influence.  The  dash  and 
courage  which  marked  him  as  a revolutionist  before  he  joined  the 
mission  of  the  church  he  has  carried  into  his  religious  work.  I 
am  told  by  ministers  of  that  church  that  he  is  regarded  as  the 
most  successful  of  all  their  missionary  workers.  They  say  that 
what  he  has  accomplished  in  Cuba  is  extraordinary.  His  earnest- 
ness and  enthusiasm  are  contagious.  An  example  of  his  influence 
is  given  in  a story  of  his  having  converted  and  baptized  his  jailer 
while  in  prison.  The  Baptists  in  this  country  are  greatly  inter- 
ested in  his  fate.  The  awakening  of  their  sympathy  with  the 
Cuban  cause  through  their  interest  in  him  is  likely  to  result  in  ma- 
terial aid  to  the  revolutionists.  Should  harm  come  to  him,  this 
sympathy  would  probably  set  at  defiance  the  laws  of  neutrality. 
A minister  of  one  of  the  leading  churches  of  that  denomination 
here  said  to  me  the  other  day  that  if  Diaz  were  not  set  at  liberty, 
there  would  be  an  army  of  Baptists  ready  to  fight  the  battles  of 
Cuba,  and  thousands  would  find  means  of  joining  the  Cuban 
army. 

At  a special  meeting  of  the  Home  Mission  Board  of 
the  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  the  following  resolu- 
tion was  unanimously  adopted  : 

Resolved,  That  the  Board  has  heard  with  the  deepest  pain  of 
the  imprisonment  of  Bro.  A.  J.  Diaz  by  the  Spanish  authorities  in 
Cuba;  that  we  are  profoundly  impressed  with  the  duty  of  doing 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


29 


all  in  our  power  to  preserve  the  life  and  secure  the  liberty  01  our 
beloved  brother;  that  for  this  purpose  we  invite  all  Baptists  every- 
where, and  such  other  Christian  brethren  as  may  sympathize  with 
us,  to  unite  in  a common  effort  to  influence  the  authorities  of  our 
land  to  do  everything  consistent  with  the  honor  of  our  country  to 
accomplish  our  wishes;  that  public  meetings  be  held  by  them  and 
such  others  as  may  sympathize  with  us,  and  due  expression  of 
their  desires  be  forwarded  to  senators,  representatives,  and  other 
public  officials,  advising  them  that  the  entire  constituency  of  the 
Southern  Convention,  aided  by  sympathizing  friends  from  every 
part  of  the  country,  are  united  in  one  sacred  effort  for  the  deliver- 
ance of  a man  of  Cod  who,  by  his  unselfish  devotion  and  his  un- 
flinching courage,  has  endeared  himself  to  all  who  are  familiar 
with  his  history  ; that  for  this  purpose  we  ask  that  the  Baptists 
throughout  the  South  will,  through  their  respective  churches  and 
other  organizations,  make  contributions  to  a fund  providing  for 
the  expense  attending  efforts  for  his  relief,  but  more  especially  as 
a tangible  expression  of  their  sympathy  for  him  and  for  his  deliv- 
erance from  the  dangers  environing  him. 

How  speedily  and  graciottsly  has  God  responded  to 
the  prayers  of  his  people  for  their  brother  in  affliction ! 
While  these  lines  are  writing  Dr.  Diaz  is  on  the  sea, 
bound,  as  were  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  centuries  ago,  for 
our  land  of  priceless  personal  liberty,  universal  politi- 
cal equality,  absolute,  joyous,  unrestricted  religious  free- 
dom. 

But  must  the  work,  so  nobly  and  gloriously  begun  in 
Cuba  by  Diaz,  cease  now  and  come  to  naught  throtigh 
the  commotions  and  wars  which  at  present  agitate  this 
promising  island  ? Let  us,  in  all  earnestness  and  faith, 
pray  the  great  God  of  the  harvest  that  such  may  not  be 
the  calamity  so  widely  feared.  What  has  been  thus  far 
accomplished  for  Christ’s  cause  in  Cuba  is,  as  one  in 


30 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


close  touch  with  the  work  has  said,  “but  the  beginning 
of  this  region’s  evangelization.’’ 

With  all  these  triumphs,  the  great  mass  of  spiritual  destitution 
has  but  been  touched.  Compared  with  the  dense  population, 
numerically,  the  Christian  Baptists  are  but  a feeble  folk.  There 
has  been  but  a single  sun  ray  piercing  the  rotten  muck.  All  that 
has  passed  has  been  but  a work  of  preparation.  But  where  in  the 
history  of  modern  missions  was  there  ever  such  a beginning  as 
this?  Compare  Judson’s  seven  years  of  waiting  with  Diaz’  first 
service,  memorable  to  him  because  his  own  fanatic  mother  was 
the  first  trophy  of  the  Spirit’s  j)ower.  . . 

Only  a beginning,  yet  a beginning  like  the  dawn  of  its  open 
tropic  land,  without  the  long-extended  twilight,  with  slow  creep- 
ing of  ruddy  hues  upon  the  eastern  horizon.  As  the  sun  seems  to 
leap  with  the  ardor  and  vitality  of  youth  from  amidst  the  gloomy 
curtains  of  the  nights  into  the  glory  and  splendor  of  a magnificent 
day,  the  gospel  has  shone  upon  the  gem  of  the  Caribbean. 

The  future  looks  dark.  Clouds,  heavy  and  ominous, 
partly  obscure  the  firmament  of  our  hope.  As  the 
writer  pens  this  page,  there  is  handed  him  the  fol- 
lowing letter  (with  a few  verbal  changes)  from  one  of 
the  “faithful’’  of  Cuba: 

Havana,  April  24,  1896. 

Very  soon  now  we  shall  be  entirely  without  ministers.  Dr.  Diaz 
is  the  last  one  here,  and  he  leaves  to-morrow,  ordered  away  by 
the  government.  A week  ago  Sunday  he  baptized  three  girls  from 
the  school,  and  there  was  an  unusually  good  turnout;  the  follow- 
ing Thursday,  at  five  A.  M.,  he  and  his  brother  were  arrested,  his 
house  searched,  but  nothing  found.  Dr.  Diaz  offered  the  officials 
coffee.  After  they  partook  they  escorted  both  to  the  police  sta- 
tion, where  they  were  put  into  solitary  confinement  with  a chair 
to  sit  on.  On  Friday  A.  M.  Mr.  Porta  found  his  way  to  them  and 
sent  a message  by  the  guard,  and  the  reply  through  the  guard  was, 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


31 


two  cots  and  breakfast  for  two;  until  then  they  had  had  no  food. 
After  the  fou  th  day  the  family  could  see  them  at  twelve  r.  m.  and 
yesterday.  The  following  Thursday  we  had  our  last  prayer  meet- 
ing in  the  church.  On  Wednesday,  live  I>.  M.,  Dr.  Diaz  and  his 
brother  were  turned  out  of  jail.  The  consul,  of  course,  was  em- 
ployed and  telegrams  sent  to  the  States.  It  is  over  now.  I shall 
be  glad  to  see  them  outside  the  Morro  Castle.  Nothing  has  been 
proved  against  them  ; no  one  thinks  it  is  a political  affair  ; but 
rather  the  persecutions  of  the  church  in  disguise. 

Well,  the  meetings  are  closed  and  nothing  has  ever  been  sadder 
here,  except  Dr.  Diaz’  father’s  funeral.  It  was  a deluge  of  tears, 
beginning  with  the  pastor.  He  has  sterling  qualities  and  knows 
no  fear.  I was  surprised  to  hear  him  talk  in  such  a fearless  way. 
He  mentioned  that  the  same  police  that  had  imprisoned  him  be- 
fore were  present.  They  were  in  disguise,  and  he  recognized 
them  in  passing  up  the  aisle  and  took  them  to  a better  seat,  just 
behind  us,  and  you  may  not  believe  it,  they  sang.  Had  I known 
or  suspected  who  they  were,  I would  have  given  them  my  hymn 
book,  the  words  were  all  so  appropriate;  it  was  heartrending;  we  .all 
felt  terribly.  I will  send  you  the  hymns.  The  chapter  was  Acts 
20.  Every  verse  of  each  hymn  seemed  to  have  a sermon  in  it.  All 
was  so  kind,  such  persuasion,  so  much  loving  advice  for  his  people 
from  our  pastor  during  his  absence,  such  entreaties  not  to  aban- 
don their  faith  or  church  associations.  I’oor  Mr.  Porta  is  devoted 
to  Dr.  Diaz;  all  were  very  much  affected;  one  handkerchief  was 
not  sufficient  to  absorb  the  flood  of  tears. 

April  25.  Since  I began  this  I hear  that  Dr.  Diaz  has  ob- 
tained permission  to  remain  until  Wednesd.ay  to  finish  all  his  busi- 
ness. I don’t  feel  safe  until  I see  him  on  the  boat.  He  was  col- 
lared again  Thursday  evening  before  service  to  sign  some  paper. 
Two  policemen  took  him  as  if  he  were  some  thief.  I hope  that 
there  is  something  better  in  store  for  him  and  that  his  work  may 
be  doubly  blessed  in  the  future.  All  the  time  his  wife  and  mother 
and  sisters  were  tearing  about  town  in  their  anxiety  about  him, 
never  one  word  was  uttered  against  the  authorities.  They  are  all 
brave  women.  Asuncion  lost  her  head,  and  walked  from  one  end 


32 


DIAZ THE  APOSTLE  OF  CUBA 


of  Havana  to  tlie  other  trying  to  catch  sight  of  her  brothers,  think- 
ing that  she  had  only  walked  a short  distance.  When  Mr.  Porta 
told  her  how  far  it  was,  she  said,  “No  wonder  I felt  exhausted.’’ 
Alfreda’s  wife  and  her  five  children  will  live  in  Rev.  Mr.  Cova’s 
house,  and  she  and  Mrs.  Diaz,  the  widow',  will  take  charge  of  the 
school;  but  Miss  Diaz  and  the  girls  live  at  Buenos  Aires  at  the 
hospital,  and  take  their  boarding  scholars  with  them  and  have  a 
school  there,  and  Miss  Diaz’  sisters  live  in  Neptuno  Street  and 
keep  up  that  school,  so  three  schools  are  all  that  will  be  left.  Mrs. 
Diaz  and  .Asuncion  w'ill  make  an  attempt  at  mission  work  in  some 
of  the  neighboring  families.  Mr.  Cova  is  established  in  Tampa, 
working  among  the  Cubans  and  Spanish  there.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
O’Halloran  in  Key  West;  in  the  same  way  Mr.  Klejo  is  also  in 
Key  West.  Mr.  Porta,  Mr.  Valdy,  and  Cruto  remain  here,  and 
we  will  follow  Dr.  Diaz’  advice  and  meet  as  often  as  possible  to 
have  service  in  different  localities.  Singing  is  suppressed.  The 
cemetery  we  shall  keep  open  as  long  as  possible.  I think  I have 
given  you  all  the  news  of  importance;  in  fact  there  is  not  much 
left  to  talk  about.  Carlos  Diaz  was  sent  with  Mr.  CPHalloran  to 
attend  school  at  Key  West.  Sincerely  yours, 

T. 

Such  words  as  these  from  a simple,  trusting,  timor- 
ous heart  move  our  hearts  to  renewed  interest  and  sym- 
pathy, and  call  forth  more  earnest  supplication  that  the 
loving  Father  above  will  return  to  the  jtoor,  persecuted 
Baptists  their  brother  and  leader  from  whom  they  have 
been  so  cruelly  separated,  and  thus  impart  to  them  joy 
for  mourning  and  the  garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit  of 
heaviness. 


